Philip K. Dick‘s classic sci-fi short story, ‘We Can Remember It For You Wholesale,’ which you probably know better as Paul Verhoeven‘s TOTAL RECALL, now reboots and upgrades with new technological gizmos and settings.

Whereas ArnoldSchwarzenegger‘s 1990 mind-tampering adventure was Mars bound, Colin Farrell experiences the futuristic setting of the United Federation of Britain.
He’s an everyday Joe laboring away in a factory and married to Kate Beckinsale (cast in Sharon Stone‘s original role.)

One night after work, Farrell steps out on the wild side. Out for a little action at ‘Rekall’ where dreams are turned into real fantasies.

HIS fantasy?

The virtual life as a secret spy. Only problem is, he now discovers his real past as a rebel fighter whose memory has been wiped clean.

Or has it?

Why is his wife now trying to kill him? And how does Jessica Biel figure into the equation?

The answer: Trust no one in his world which hangs in a balance.

“You’ll have such a good time, you won’t want to come back”

Not an empty promise but power for the course in Farrell’s illusion is filled with trips, twists and portals.

Colin Farrell here is in top form while in search of himself.

Both Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel as luscious as ever while kicking ass at a mile a minute. Bryan Cranston, John Cho and Bill Nighy round out the cast in this twisted sci fi fantasy.

Special effects way above average. The action non-stop. And a pounding musical score keeps you glued to the screen for the film’s just under two hours running time.

And in case you were wondering…the three-breasted hottie hasn’t been lost in the remake. She’s still bearing her wonders—for a price.

TOTAL RECALL: 3-1/2 out of 5 fingers for this action-packed thriller of reality, memory, true identity—and true love.

JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. on KMBZ Fm & Am / Also anytime on Time-Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND, Channel 411 / and throughout Nebraska on NEBRASKA ON DEMAND, Channel 411.

Uuugh. Too early for a remake. Guess this means it’s also time for remakes of:

Ghost
Pretty Woman
Dances with Wolves
Home Alone, and
Back to the Future III

which all came out the same year as the original Total Recall (1990).

Why retread what’s already been done when there have been plenty of sci-fi authors since Philip K Dick who crafted compelling stories. Let’s see a movie based on one of Neal Stephenson’s works. Then again that would be too hard – why work hard when you can regurgitate films barely old enough to drink.

In for this and Bourne as pretty much the last of the summer movies that I care about. I thought the last couple of summers were pretty bad, but this one may have been the worst as far as depth goes. Think I only saw 3 or 4 total. Ted and The Avengers were fun, Dark Knight Rises was a solid finish to Nolan’s Bat Man trilogy and that’s pretty much it as far as stuff I wanted to see. By now, I usually would have hit at least half a dozen flicks most summers.

Zach Galifianakis does a bit as his gay, Southern cousin Seth in his standup, and it’s one of the funniest things ever. His character in The Campaign seems to be essentially the same person, so that instantaneously makes me want to see it.